[Welcome to Celebrity Chic on the Cheap, where our style guru takes a celebrity look and breaks it down for you, our poor college fashionista. What does that mean? It means that while the celebrities (Reese Witherspoon, what what?) are spending $5,000 on an ensemble, you don’t have to.]

Olivia Wilde has been up and coming for a few years. To me, she will always be Marissa Cooper’s experiment with lesbianity on The OC, but she’s definitely moved on to slightly more prestigious fare since then (oh you know, only snagging a regular role on House). She’s been a staple on sexiest actresses list for a few years because…well, have you looked her? She smolders. But I hadn’t realized she was a bit of a fashionista in her own right until she stepped out on the Golden Globes red carpet a couple of weeks ago in the this sparkly, dazzling, beautifully constructed number.

Seriously, if fashion were porn, that dress would be the money shot.

Since then, I’ve been paying a bit more attention to Ms. Wilde, and last week, she somehow managed to make a jumpsuit look cute.

My mind is still blown, quite honestly.

But, I’m a realist, and really, 98 percent of us will never actually wear a jumpsuit (rompers are already shameful enough). So this outfit will be based on the essence of Olivia’s look and therefore a lot more wearable. Read More »

I’m almost positive that I am not the only woman who wants to accent my assets and disguise my least favorite attributes. There’s no point in buying clothes that don’t make you feel fantastic – they should show what you want to show while smoothing out any imperfections (hint hint – last week’s waist belt).  Whether you’ve indulged in a few too many late-night dorm binges or you’ve been studying too hard to make it to the gym, this amazing Curvey Keyhole Tee from Body Central will remind you that you’re cute and sexy no matter how many pizza boxes you have piled up near your door.

Inspired by Monday night’s Gossip Girl and the so-sexy-it-was-almost-vulgar keyhole shirt that Serena wore (and in front of her mother!) to the Observer party, the idea had me thinking. She wore a fitted black shirt with a diamond shape cut out right in the center of her chest. The girls had to have been duct taped to her sides to keep them from falling out. But her shirt, while unrealistic in the real world (come on, no one’s boobs could look like that!) has the same principles of this Body Central shirt: it drew your eye directly to the most flattering part of her body and nowhere else. The idea was enough to make me want to rush to my wardrobe with a pair of scissors.

After I forced myself to put scissors down, I found this much more innocent version on Body Central, the curators of cheap, well made, just-sexy-enough tops that you can’t go wrong with.  We all know the basics of how to show a little skin – a v-kneck for the chest, spaghetti straps for the shoulders, basically anything besides low rise jeans to highlight a muffin top. But keyhole cut outs? They’re a whole new concept in something unexpected.  Read More »

So as I write this, I’m sitting on my lanai (balcony) overlooking the beautiful, blue Maui ocean (yes, I’m on my first “real” vacay in years), which means I’m not particularly keen on scouring the internet for under $20 deals for long periods of time (not to mention, they’re only giving me an hour of free wifi). So where did I head?

The mother of all cheap & trendy spots: Forever 21.

And no, she did not disappoint. Checking out the website or a store near you is a necessity before you head back to school, as there are loads of insanely awesome deals on ridiculously cute clothes.  What are you waiting for?  Read, set, GO!

Here are a few things I know I’ll be grabbing up. You know, when I get back to the mainland. Read More »